Incorporating subjective end-user perceptions in the design process: A study of leg guard comfort in cricket

Abstract

During the design of sports equipment, the main focus is usually on physical performance attributes, neglecting key subjective factors such as feel or comfort. The personal protective equipment worn in sport is a typical example of where injury prevention has taken precedence over user comfort, but it is anticipated that, with an improved approach to the design process, comfort can be enhanced without sacrificing protection. Using cricket leg guards as an example, this study aims to develop a systematic method for assessing user perceptions and incorporating them into the design process. Using this method, players' perceptions of the factors that influence comfort were elicited through the use of co-discovery sessions, focus groups, and individual interviews and analysed through an inductive process to produce a comfort model. The relative importance of the different comfort dimensions were identified through the use of an online questionnaire utilizing the analytical hierarchy process method. Through the combination of these methods, six general dimensions were identified with a weighting regarding the amount to which each one determines a user's perceived comfort. These results demonstrate how subjective analysis can be integrated into the design process, allowing for end users' preferences to be considered and integrated.

Development of Ergonomic Leg Guard for Baseball Catchers through 3D Modeling and Printing

“…Webster and Roberts (2009) (Braham et al, 2004). Similar reports were found for other sports such as cycling, rugby, and squash (Marshall et al, 2001;Finch et al, 2001;Finch, 1996;Eime, Finch, Sherman & Garnham, 2002).…”

“…Therefore, design of protective equipment must deliver physical and psychological satisfaction to users with minimum restriction in free movement while providing protection (Watkins & Choi, 2001). In the past, options other than prevention of injuries were often overlooked in the design of protective equipment (Webster & Roberts, 2009). Recently however, materials development has improved the efficiency of protective equipment in prevention of injuries and securing safety; thus, there has been a shift in interest toward designing protective equipment with consideration of fit, mobility, thermal comfort, and aesthetics.…”

Assessing the Design and Compressive Performance of Material Extruded Lattice Structures

“…6 The energy absorption capacity is indicative of the impact energy that a cellular material can absorb, while plateau stress relates to the level of force that is transferred to the wearer during the impact. 7 While foams are effective at offering protection from impact, disadvantages of their use with respect to protective clothing include: poor thermal regulation 8,9 excessive weight/bulk 10,11 restricted movement 11 With increasing utilization of additive manufacturing (AM), attention has been paid to its potential application to personal protective equipment. [12][13][14][15] Interest has also grown in the areas of additively manufactured cellular structures (AMCSs) and bespoke sports equipment, 13,16 in particular the area of AM-based running shoe midsoles.…”

Determining the effect of cricket leg guards on running performance

“…This increased participation has led to a greater demand for equipment and with this has come greater competition between brands, striving to develop bats, helmets and protective clothing that out-perform their competitors' products. The perceived fit of cricket leg guards has been found to be a major factor affecting consumer satisfaction and, related to this is the effect of leg guards on running performance (Webster and Roberts, 2009). …”

“…The study, however, did not compare running in leg guards to running without pads. Also, since this study was conducted, the cricket market has seen the introduction of new lightweight modern pads which players have reported to be less restrictive than traditional pads (Webster and Roberts, 2009); further investigation was, therefore, warranted.…”